Same Script, Different Cast
by zivahjc
Summary: She just wants to get through the next couple of hours with her heart intact... Not related to the song. Sakura POV, AU, Oneshot.


Title: Same Script, Different Cast

Rating: T

Author: zivahjc

This is my first attempt at writing anything so be nice. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated so that I can improve on future projects (if any). This was a random thought that became a one shot. On to it then.

Sakura POV.

_Italics_ - thoughts

**Same Script, Different Cast**

I critically survey my reflection in the mirror. The forest green, short, bustier dress shows just enough skin. It ends at about mid-thigh and looks as though it is painted on my trim figure. The material is stretchy so at least I know I will be comfortable. The simple black, strappy heels accentuate my long legs.

My pink hair is carefully arranged and held up so that only a few wisps skim along my neck. My face has a minimal amount of make-up as always. I consider the full effect. _Not too shabby._ It doesn't really look like me though. I never dress up this much.

I sigh. This will have to do. _What is considered as an appropriate get up in this case anyway? _I was never good at such things. It does not matter. It will be over soon. I just want to get the next couple of hours of my life over and done with.

I wear my black trench coat, pick up my clutch and, after a last cursory glance at the mirror, leave the apartment. I find my cab guy patiently waiting for me at the parking lot. He does a double take when he sees me and that bolsters my confidence.

He kindly smiles and asks me, "Hot date?"

I plaster a smile on my face that I hope he buys as genuine and tell him, "Something of the sort."

"He must be a lucky guy," he responds with a grin.

I say nothing back. I give him the address and keep silent for the rest of the ride_. A hot date, huh? If only._ I read the text message that Ino sent to me again. "Same script, different cast. Phoenician Lounge. 8 pm" I wonder what she would do if she actually knew the whole story.

I put my phone away and memories long buried start surfacing. Ino. The last time I saw her we had both been in college. We were flat mates for three years. She had been my best friends then, that is, before Sasuke and "the incident". It had been two years now. Why the past always seems to haunt people, I don't know…

The cab pulls to a halt and I am roused from my reveries. I take a deep breath and try to calm my nerves. The cabbie smiles at me. "Go get him," he says.

I plaster the smile from before on my face. I pay the fare and get out of the car. I take small steps as I walk to the door. I count back from fifty in my head to steady myself as my bag is checked by security and finally, I am in.

I make a beeline for the counter and order for a whiskey on ice. Perhaps I need the liquid courage. I gently finger the tiny box and card in my trench coat pocket as I wait for my drink. I can do this I tell myself.

"Here you go," the bartender says with a flirtatious smile and a wink. I take it without a word and quickly gulp it down. I think I have entertained the bartender by my unladylike behaviour from his amused face. I order for a double tot of baileys on ice, pay for both drinks (leaving a generous tip) and finally take in my surroundings.

The place is full, as always, and the mood is hyper. The dance floor is packed by a large mass of gyrating bodies. The air smells of alcohol, smoke and sweat; it's just like I remember it from four years ago.

I finally spot the long blonde hair. I gently smile. She hasn't changed it at all; the high ponytail was always her favorite hairstyle. I feel calm. The butterflies are gone. I feel nothing: empty, hollow. She suddenly turns and our eyes lock. She smugly smiles at me and beckons me forward by crooking her first finger.

I casually lift a brow but nevertheless obey her summons, my drink in hand. It's show time. I place my drink on the table that she is sharing with three other people. Naruto, my boyfriend of a year, looks dumbstruck. His best friend Kiba who is next to him has pretty much the same look on his face. At least Shikamaru still looks bored and sleepy as always. I hear him mumble a "troublesome" under his breath and in this case I am forced to concur.

She is sitting on Naruto's lap. She is in a short, royal purple, halter-necked bubble dress and black, six inch, ankle length boots. The purple clashes horribly with Naruto's orange, fitting shirt. He has on black, fitting jeans and converse. _They definitely met here. She would have insisted he change the shirt so that they matched._

Shikamaru is more or less the same but chose a forest green, fitting, short sleeved, V-neck tee instead. Kiba is in a red tee with some kind of black, gothic design at the front, worn over blue jeans and black boots.

Naruto looks caged and confused. I can already see the sweat beading on his forehead. I smile benignly as I casually take of my coat and sit on the only free chair opposite Ino and Naruto. I settle back on the seat with my drink in hand.

I do feel a slight twinge of betrayal but it is way less than I expected. I wonder why. _Perhaps I am not as into him as I thought?_ I will have to sort that out later. Naruto's mouth keeps on opening and closing like he has something to say, but nothing comes out. His eyes are sort of bulging out. He reminds me of a fish.

Everyone's eyes are on me now. I wonder what he expects me to do. I smile at Ino and decide to break the ice so that I can get out of here as fast as possible.

"I got the message. Here I am." I am proud of how steady my voice sounds. Ino's eyes narrow. It seems this is not going according to her plans. _Perhaps she expects me to already be in tears like last time._

"No 'How are you doing'?" she asks.

I keep my expression blank and take another sip of my drink. _That was a pathetic attempt at baiting_. I refuse to respond to her taunts. Naruto is a statue at this point. I see Ino's eyes gleaming. This look used to put me on edge, back in the days. Now, I am just curious about how she wants this to play out.

"It's funny how the guys always decide to pick me in the end, huh?" she asks. "First it was Sasuke and now it is Naruto. Same club, your so called 'boyfriend's' friends watching and me sitting in their lap. Shouldn't you be crying and running out by now? Or perhaps you don't love Naruto as much as you did Sasuke. And just to clarify, I did sleep with him too".

She wraps her hands around Naruto's shoulders and places a chaste kiss on his cheek then rubs at the red mark left with her right thumb. The smug smile was back. _Well, that was faster than I expected._ I consider her words. _Perhaps I should be crying. I should at least be more hurt by this. Oh well…_

I try a different tact. "How's Sasuke? You're still theoretically with him, right? So, is this supposed to be a revenge thing or is it just another bid to get attention?" I take a sip of my drink and smile.

And now she is glowering. I have definitely ruffled her feathers. "How did you know about that?!" she hisses.

"What do you mean she's still with Sasuke?!"

Naruto has finally found his voice. He's glaring at her now. Kiba's heads keeps swiveling to and fro depending on the speaker at the moment. It is quite funny. He reminds me of a dog following a ball's movement. Shikamaru seems to be about two seconds from falling asleep.

"You didn't seriously believe that I was leaving him for you, did you?" Ino asks him.

"…"

"Omg! You actually did? Why would I leave him for you?" She huffs as she gets off his lap and comes to stand in front of me, hand on her hip which is cocked to the side. It seems the charade is over now. The claws are about to be unsheathed. I take another sip.

"I don't know why you would even stay with him for this long. Well, at least he's a decent fuck. Sasuke is better though." Her smile is decidedly diabolical now.

Naruto is now bristling. I feel sad for him. He's always been compared to Sasuke throughout his life and he always seemed to come in second best. This is a seriously sore spot for him. _I really need to leave before Naruto's anger gets the best of him._

"I just wanted to give him a final push so that he appreciates what he has and proposes already. I've waited too long. And isn't it about time you started leaving, tail tucked between your legs?"

I take another sip and decide to not even try and sort through her lop-sided logic. It seems Kiba is physically restraining Naruto now and whispering furiously in his ear. Shikamaru's eyes are actually closed at this point. I wonder how he manages to pull off that bored look so perfectly.

I reach into my coat's pocket and remove the tiny box and hand it to her. The black, lacquered top was a dead give-away. Her face is deathly pale now and she takes two steps back. Her hands are slightly trembling and she is standing straight now. "Where did you get this?" she shrieks. "Did you steal it from him?" People from other tables are staring now. I have to admit, she pulls of the 'raging virago' quite beautifully.

I crinkle my nose lightly. I don't like big scenes. Once in a lifetime was enough for me. I choose to ignore the stealing bit. It didn't even make sense. Then again irrationality was always her forte. _Just a few more minutes of this and I will be back in my bed, with my bottle of Baileys and a watching a cheesy romance film._

She opens the box and therein lays the ring. A beautiful work of silver depicting two miniature roses and tendrils curled around a deeply set ruby stone. I have to admit it really is quite stunning.

It is also the Uchiha matriarch's family ring. For noble families like his with all that rich history, traditions are still important. In the past century, the ring had been given as an engagement ring. Since he was the last remaining Uchiha, well, excluding his insane uncle who is incarcerated in some psychiatric hospital, he had possession of it.

This was all information Sasuke had shared with me and seemingly Ino too, if I were to go by her reaction. All the guys are now staring at us with rapt attention. Naruto seems to have calmed down a bit and even Shikamaru is wide awake now.

"He gave it to me." I state simply.

"You're lying, you filthy bitch!" she hisses.

Well, the virago is back in full force. I get the note from the same pocket and hand it to her. She reads it and with every second that passes, her face keeps on contorting into an ugly visage of pure rage and helplessness. I can't bear to watch her any more.

I had expected to feel triumphant at this point but I just feel numb. Perhaps the reality of the whole thing will sink in properly later on. Maybe then I will feel something. Maybe…

Ino seems to have been struck dumb and I don't have anything left to say. _My work here is done._ I finish my drink, stand up and wear my coat in preparation for leaving. I quickly bend over to pick up my clutch and that is when I hear her quiet sobs.

I straighten up and face her. Well, this was definitely unexpected. Now I feel awkward. I didn't think she would actually cry. "Why would he propose to you?" she asks. I have no answer. I keep quiet. _Why did this have to happen? Couldn't she just stay mad at me until I had left?_

"Why would he choose you over me?" she wails. "I never did love her, I always loved you. You are the level-headed one and thus you would make a great mother to my kids," she reads from the note, the hysteria exponentially rising in her voice with every word.

I feel a bit guilty_. Why am I feeling guilty? This doesn't make any sense. And she just had to choose the weird bit to read out loud. _ I let out a silent huff. This is getting really awkward pretty fast.

"What?!" Naruto looks flabbergasted. I don't know whether to feel insulted by his shock or not. "Are you cheating on me with the bastard? How dare you?"

I am incredulous. _Is he serious?_ I laugh at the irony.

"So troublesome." It seems Shikamaru is ready to get involved now. He was her childhood friend after all. He stands up and beckons to her with one hand as the other idly scratches the back of his head, "Come on Ino, I'll take you home."

I feel relieved. I can finally leave without feeling guilty. I turn towards the door after I see her rush to him and collapse in his arms, still sobbing. I know she'll be up and about soon enough. She always was a fighter. Kiba's mouth is agape right now.

Naruto tries to grab my arm as I walk out but I shrug him off. There is nothing to be said between us. Besides, my bed is calling to me like a siren. I am finally outside. I feel free, lighter…happy. That throws me for a loop.

_Perhaps it is just the euphoria of the moment; of finally having finished that episode._ Or so I tell myself. Well, let me take it a day at a time. I smile, a genuine one this time. I hail a cab and get in. After reciting my address I lean back and close my eyes. The vanilla scent in the car soothes me and I close my eyes, dreaming of a better tomorrow.

END

A/N: Thanks for taking time to read this! Hope it made some sense…


End file.
